IMO it is not a matter of “increasing” in that since 1990 there are (per USGS) an average of 17 major quakes per year greater that 7.0
Rather the point that most of those major quakes occur in remote locations far from major populations - and /or are very “deep”.
It’s difficult to look past two major quakes affecting millions (Haiti now rated as the largest natural disaster in recorded history per UN study),
Couple that with the verse “fear of tossing (swell) and roaring of the waves” “salos” in the Greek - and used only once in the NT Greek - taking into account that 25% of the world’s population lives on the Pacific rim and are at major risk in these occurances (and the instant media reports) - some might argue media generated “fear”?
Having noted all that - I agree that “signs” as such for the rapture are not a “reguirement” - but rather (IMO) are moreso signs pointing to the soon coming tribulation period (birth pangs).
Then place all these signs of nature in the context of “wars and rumors of war” - (Afgan, Iraq, etc) - a nuclear Iran as a major threat to Israel - the axis alliance being formed between Iran, Syria, Lebbanon...
IMO it’s difficult to just dismiss all these as not being a wake-up call / alert to Believers ??
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. <-[Like the days of Noah, sudden destruction] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Jesus did say there would be earthquakes in diverse places, and I don't think we can deny that that has been happening with increasing frequency.
Quake hits north Pakistan, Afghanistan; No Damage
Another one today.
IMO it’s difficult to just dismiss all these as not being a wake-up call / alert to Believers ??
Well... please do notice that today I've been talking about earthquakes and not other events (like Israel, the Temple, Iran, the Muslims, etc.). These other events can be considered "stage setting" for the Messiah of Israel establishing His Kingdom on earth, and those immediate events that precede that (the Tribulation time), but earthquakes are not stage-setting events...
It should be well-enough established that we are in the current time period for the Rapture to occur, which is a "signless event" -- and thus, it won't be "announced" ahead of time by any sort or series of events. That's why there's that Doctrine of Imminence, referred to above. The Rapture can happen at any time and there are no signs which precede it.
However, there are plenty of signs which precede the coming of the Lord to set up His Kingdom on this earth, and those signs overflow in the Tribulation period. But, we're not in the Tribulation period right now.
And, as I've said before (and other Bible prophecy teachers have said before) even if we don't have the many signs that will be there during the Tribulation, we do see the things "lining up" which can be part of those signs which will happen during the Tribulation. The "stage setting" itself, isn't a specific sign (as such), but it's an indication of the nearness of all these events.
But, it's meant to be an indication to believers, and not to the general world. Trying to convince the "general world" of these "stage setting events" (which are not signs in and of themselves) -- is a fairly futile exercise, actually.... :-)
Only the perceptive will understand that. Trying to get an unbeliever to be "perceptive" about these coming prophetic events is trying to do what only the Holy Spirit does, upon one being "born again".... I wouldn't bother with that part of it. I would only preach the Gospel of Salvation to them, as we are supposed to do.
When these unbelievers see the signs that will happen in the Tribulation time, they will then not be able to dispute about them, as they can easily do now. They can do so now, because those signs which will be there during the Tribulation period -- are not here now. Thus, you're beating that proverbial dead horse, with the unbeliever.
And actually, it's almost like beating a dead horse with some believers, too -- as I've seen on the open threads, dealing with the Rapture. There are more Christians who have been taught things "against what the Bible says" in their churches, than have been taught exactly what the Bible says. So, there are a whole lot of ignorant Christians out there... :-)
....”(Haiti now rated as the largest natural disaster in recorded history per UN study),”.....but only fromt he perspective that their structures were so weak by poor workmanship and not meeting any standards so of course the devastation hwas much to do with this...the earthquake in Chili was far worse in it’s power than what hit Haiti..but though severe damage they are not only better off for their structures but they are and were quick to begin their own cleanup...unlike those in Haiti.
Soecial teams noted that every country they have gone to help in catostrophies the citizens worked right along with them...to quote..”We did not see this in Haiti”.
MUCH AGREE. THX.